With four maxi-challenge wins and six Beautiful Benefactress Badges, Angeria Paris VanMichaels made Drag Race All Stars 9 her (ugaly) bitch.
Over the course of the season, the Southern belle from ATL showcased the full breadth of her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent as a pop star (‘Drag Queens Save the World’), stand-up comedian (The National Drag Convention Roast), actress (Meeting in the Ladies Room) and the supreme ‘Park-and-Bark’-er (Variety Extravaganza), rightfully earning a place in the final. There, she defeated Roxxxy Andrews and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, winning a mammoth $231,500 for the National Black Justice Collective.
“I wanted a charity who was going to be very representative of me and what I believe in. I’m Black, I’m queer, and what they stand for is something that is gonna be needed all the time,” Angeria tells GAY TIMES, just hours before she serves her signature brand of pageant and glamour on the official All Stars 9 tour. “We all want to win the title, of course, but we were also there for a cause that’s bigger than us.”
As is the case with each season of Drag Race, RuPaul’s chosen inductee into the Hall of Fame was met with a marmite response on social media, with so-called ‘fans’ directing their vitriol towards Angeria, an icon who, 1) didn’t crown herself, 2) entertained viewers for 12 weeks straight and 3) raised a gargantuan sum for a Black LGBTQIA+ charity. (Make! It! Make! Sense!) Angie’s mindset, however? “I just say to myself, ‘I still won!’” (Again, icon.)
Here, Angeria discusses her All Stars 9 experience, as well as her three ultimate Drag Race lip-syncs and dream to inspire small town Black communities on a future season of HBO’s We’re Here. As she sang on season 14, “From the country to the silver screen, it’s Angie bitch, livin’ out my dreams.”
Angeria, condragulations on winning on All Stars 9. How has life been as Drag Race‘s reigning All Star?
It’s been absolutely amazing, especially because I’m on tour with the All Stars 9 live tour by Voss Events. It’s crazy, winning Drag Race and then going straight on tour is like… Oh my god, it’s a lot but it feels good because I’m highlighted a lot in the show, and the fans make me feel [loved] at every show and meet-and-greet. I feel like the winner!
What does the All Stars 9 tour look like for you? What can fans expect from Angeria?
My number is very me, very glamorous. Whenever I do a tour, I always just wanna make sure my number is reflective of me and very pageant! It’s what you would see from the talent portion of a pageant, so it’s very glamorous with feather fans, all that.
Is it coming to the UK?
It is not….
[Shrieks.]
But wait a minute! I am. I will be coming to the UK. I’ll be at Heaven the last weekend of September. I get to finish up the tour and then a couple days later I’ll be heading to London.
Okay, so I can expect ‘Park and Bark’ live in a few weeks?
Maybe! You know what, the owner [of Heaven] always tells me, ‘I want you to do something live for me.’ So I don’t know, I might!
You smashed this season. Four challenge wins, six Beautiful Benefactress Badges. Besides competing with all these incredible queens, what was your favourite moment of All Stars 9?
I think my favourite moment, honestly, was the very first episode. It was meeting Keke Palmer and winning in front of her because she’s someone I grew up watching. Having her as a guest judge, watching all of her TV shows and movies, I was like, ‘This is crazy and kind of full circle in the best way.’ That was one of my best highlights. On my original season it was Alicia Keys and then this time it was Keke Palmer.
This season, you raised an insane $231,500 for the National Black Justice Collective. What was it like for you to contribute such a hefty, life-changing sum for such a wonderful charity?
Amazing. I chose my charity because I wanted a charity who was going to be very representative of me and what I believe in. I’m Black, I’m queer, and what they stand for is something that is gonna be needed all the time. We need someone on the frontlines fighting for our rights. It just is what it is, especially now in this day and age. We need someone who is going to be there, fighting for the rights of Black queer people, and they do that. Me winning anything for them would’ve been amazing. Whether I had won $5,000 or the whole bucket, it was gonna be okay for me because I was giving back to a cause that I believe in. But, being able to win the whole pot for them – and then some! – was incredible. We all want to win the title, of course, but we were also there for a cause that’s bigger than us. I’ve gotten so close to the organisation over the course of the season. They’ve been so supportive of me and I’m so glad I was able to give back to them.
As is the case with every season of Drag Race, there’s been some negativity online from so-called ‘fans’, which feels even more baffling as All Stars 9 was for charity. I hope you haven’t spent too much time focusing on that negative, and have been embracing the positivity?
I have. When I first got on Drag Race, we all had calls with the producers where they check in on us and make sure we’re good. One piece of advice I’ll never forget is, ‘When you get the negative comments, know you’re gonna get just as much positive feedback, so let the positive feedback outweigh the negative.’ I’ve always kept that in mind. I can honestly say I got so much love. I’m still getting the messages, DM’s, phone calls. I couldn’t be more happy with my win. We all see the hate and the negativity, but I just say to myself, ‘I still won!’ I can’t explain to you how much that one saying gives me the motivation to not see any of the negativity. I simply say, ‘I still won, it’s fine, it’s okay!’ I’m proud of myself and that’s all I need. We have a saying in pageants, ‘I don’t crown myself’, and I didn’t crown myself. RuPaul, the judges, whoever, they crowned me. I did not crown myself so you’re not gonna make me feel bad about my success at all. I’m gonna soak in it, just like we all deserve to.
What was the response like from fans who are part of the communities that you represent?
I got so much [love] from small town queer Black people, and it just felt amazing to get that. I got it on season 14, of course, but to all those people that supported me then and even my new fans, it felt great to get that feedback from them. I got a lot of, ‘You really inspired me to go bigger, dream bigger than my surroundings.’ That’s what I’ve always tried and wanted to do, to encourage people to know that their dreams are way bigger than their surroundings. If I had just stayed in my small country town mindset, I wouldn’t have been able to get out and take chances on myself, so I just encourage everybody to do the same. A lot of the feedback I’ve gotten from the small town Black community has just been, ‘You represent us and we see you, if you did it I can do it too.’
Oh Angie, you’d be perfect on We’re Here.
I said that! Just know that I’m trying to make it happen. I’d love to be on We’re Here because I know those towns they go to. I grew up in one, I get it. I grew up in a town where people aren’t as educated on who we are and what we do and how we love. Just like I have been able to shed a light on who we are to my community back home, and they’ve been so acceptive of me, I feel like I can do that. As long as they’re still going and running, I hope I can be a part of it.
What I love about you Angeria is that you are a full-blown Drag Race stan. I just saw your wishlist for Global All Stars season 2 and blimey, I wouldn’t want to see any of those queens sashay away?
I literally made it, sat back and said, ‘I can’t even pick a winner from this.’ But, that’s how I know it’s a good [cast]. I wanted to make a wishlist because I get so many questions of, ‘Who’s your favourite from all of the franchises?’ And this [wishlist] is an insight for you to know these are the girls I live for. I’ve met at least half of them at DragCon UK. These are my sisters, I support and appreciate everything they do for the art-form. I always tell people, ‘I’m a fan girl before I’m a RuGirl.’ I always have been and it never stopped when I got on the show. If I did not win, I would have been there with them [on Global All Stars]. I was like, ‘Ooh! This is something I could do.’
How much are you loving Global All Stars at the moment?
I’m loving every bit of it. I’m so in love with seeing Alyssa [Edwards] back. To no one’s surprise, she is turning it and upping her game. I think all of us expected her to do that, she’s really living up to the Alyssa Edwards standard. I’m such a fan, so a lot of these girls are people I rooted for on their seasons – and I don’t need subtitles this time!
That first elimination truly gagged me…
Oh same, because I’m an Athena [Likis] fan. I was rooting for her very hard on her season of Drag Race Belgique. I did not see that coming, especially with this particular challenge because she is a very fashionable queen and I thought her looks were great. It just goes to show you that this is a really strong crop of girls. We’re in for a ride.
I’m trying to think if there’s another Drag Race queen who has more knowledge of the franchise than you…
I don’t think so! And that’s not me being vain, I’m just honest. I don’t think anyone watches the way I do, or knows Drag Race internationally the way that I do. I know my stuff! If this was college and it was an exam, I would’ve aced that class.
Is there a uni course on it yet? I know there’s one on Beyoncé.
…there was a course on Beyoncé? If there isn’t [a course on Drag Race] there should be. If I was in college right now and there were courses about Drag Race, I probably would have… graduated. We’ll just leave it at that!
I’m gonna sound like one of those Twitter fans now but I really want to know what your top three favourite lip-syncs are?
I can’t put them in order, but my top three are ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ by Brooke Lynn Hytes and Yvie Oddly. I love that and I’ve watched that so many times. Another is Thorgy Thor and Chi Chi DeVayne to Jennifer Holliday ‘And I’m Telling You…’ because I literally have performed that song in my own catalogue so many times. Then, just recently this became my favourite: Alexis Mateo and Miss Fiercalicious on Canada’s Drag Race vs the World. They did ‘How Far I’ll Go’ by Alessia Cara and Alexis…. I literally cannot express to you how much in the past week I’ve watched this lip-sync! She blew me out of the water. I was like, ‘This is crazy, she’s the GOAT.’ I love Fierce, that’s my sister, but Alexis’ performance in that lip-sync alone made me wanna watch it a thousand times. I was like, ‘Woo!’ A masterclass in lip-sync. Those are my three.
Besides the tour and parking and barking, what can we expect from you throughout your reign?
Now that I have the platform of a winner, I’m just hoping to get so many appearances, [from] TV to film, everything. I’m ready for it. You can also maybe expect a one-woman show in the works… That’s all I’m gonna say for now! I am touring right now on the All Stars 9 live tour. We still have about 20 shows to go. To anybody that still wants to come and see us, please come and see us. Also, in December, I’m on the Murray and Peter Presents Christmas Tour as well, so you have opportunities to see me! Also, in November, I’m going to be on the ITV Halloween tour. Three chances to see me on tour before the year is over!
You’ve not got much going on then, have ya?
Right?! Not much! It’s a wonderful problem to have. I love touring and meeting and performing for the fans, so I’m excited about all of it. I am going to be exhausted, just know that means a sickening vacation in 2025 for me.
I’m also hoping that, in a few weeks or months, there will be an official announcement that you will be the new host of the Pit Stop. I’m just putting it out there!
I’m hoping! Just know that, if called, I will not say no. I have already manifested it. I told myself, ‘You will be a host of the Pit Stop. It might not come today, it might not come tomorrow, but I know it’s going to happen.’ I don’t know what season or when, but I do have faith that I will be a Pit Stop host. Even Bob the Drag Queen said it on her Twitter! I manifested this win into the Hall of Fame, and it happened, so I believe that anything else I manifest now can happen…